Rainstorms kill 11 in southwestern, central China

SHANGHAI, June 8 (Reuters) Violent storms killed 11 people in two Chinese provinces and left thousands homeless this week, the Xinhua news agency reported today.

In the southwestern province of Sichuan, hailstorms, lightning strikes and landslides led to seven deaths and nine injuries today alone, Xinhua said.

Storms also hit the central province of Hunan on Wednesday and yesterday, leaving three people dead, one missing and 158,000 homeless, Xinhua said, citing the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The rainstorms in Hunan resulted in the collapse of 3,807 houses, destroyed 142,500 acres of crops and caused direct economic losses of more than 580 million yuan 75 million dollars , it said.

About 75,000 people now have no access to drinking water, it added.

A ministry spokesman told Xinhua that an emergency rescue team had been sent to the disaster-hit area because the situation was deteriorating.

Hailstorms, rainstorms and floods also hit the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China yesterday, Xinhua said.

Late last month, lightning, mudslides and floods in Sichuan province killed 43 people, state media have said.

REUTERS SBC RK2230